Mixing apparatus



mm 9 mm, A. m. M LEZLLAN 1,738,440

MIXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18, 1926 2 Sheets$heet 1 Q 3 WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 3, 1929. MacLELLAN 1,738,440

MIXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 18, 1926 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR Aajwciezzan,

' ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 3, 1929 rsur OFFICE MIXKNG APPARATUS Application filed August 13, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in mixing apparatus, and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine for the purpose described, having such an arrangement of mixing elements as will enable the reduction to a minimum of the time required to mix a given amount of diftorrent materials thereby reducing the power coir; mption, it also being a virtue of the machine that it will continue operation with the least attention of the operator, provide against errors on the part of the operator and permit easy and dustlessoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement for charging and discharging the machine, said means residing in the conveyor housing or tube which is capable of being rotated and has openings which are made to perform the foregoing duties in a manner described later.

(Ether objects and advantages appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accon'ipanying drawings, in which Figure l is a central longitudinal section of the improved apparatus,

Figure 2 is an elevation of the discharge end of the machine,

Figure 3 is a cross section of the mixing drum taken on the line 3-8 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the sifter bin. taken on the line l.t of Figure 1.

In carrying out the invention provision is made of a drum 1, preferably made in cylindrical forms as shown, and heroin known as the mixing drum. This drum has tubular hubs 2 in axial alignment, these being carried by hanges, spiders or the like 3, which are suitably secured to the ends of the drum. The hubs are ournaled upon two main bearing supports 4;, there being a similar pair of main hearing supports 5 and 6 mentioned later. The hubs are held in place by straps l which complete the bearings.

Special construction within the drum 1 insures a thorough mixing of a plurality of in gredients delivered tothe drum and comprises a plurality of so-called hoppers 8 (Fi s. 1 and 8) and dividing plates or pans Serial No. 130,005.

9. The hoppers are composed of pieces of metal bent along one edge to produce flanges 10 at which they are riveted or otherwise secured at 11 to the ends of the drum 1. The outer extremities of the socalled hoppers 8 are secured to cross pieces 12 at the periphery of the drum. The formation arrived at by the foregoing construction and mode of attachment is that of a three-sided hopper.

The so-called pans 9 are suitably secured to rods or bars 13 that extend across the drum 1 parallel to the axis. The hoppers 8 extend in from the end walls of the drum toward the center but do not meet, as shown in Figure 1, thereby leaving a central passageway. The pans 9 are approximately as wide as the passageway, the action being to completely separate a portion of the material from the regular How and deliver it to the opposite side of the drum into the second or third hopper following. a y

The pans 9 fall short of the center of the drum as indicated at 14. These ends of the pans are open, the sides of the pan being defined by upturned flanges. It is noted that the bottom of each pan is substantially in line with the center of the drum, but the flanges are turned in such manner that diametrically opposite pans face in opposite directions. l

A conveyor shaft 15, situated axially of the drum 1 extends full length of the apparatus, carrying a small sprocket 16 at one end and a drive pulley 17 on the opposite end. The shaft has a spiral or auger 18 formed thereon being for the purpose of moving material from one end toward the other of conveyor housing or tube 19 in which the auger works, the necessary driving power being applied at the pulley 17 by any known means. The tube 19 is situated in axial openings in the drum ends and has a lateral opening 20 located within the drum 1, and a pair of lateral openings 21 and 22 located in the neighborhood of the intake 23 and the sifter bin 2a respectively.

The conveyor tube 19 may be turned at times. For this purpose it carries a sprocket 25 connected with a sprocket 26 upon a control shaft 27 by means of a chain 28. The

control shaft has a lever 29 by which the turning is done. A pull upon the lever 29 so that it assumes the down position will be equivalent to the down position of the opening 20 and the up position of the openings 21 and 22 whereupon the latter receives material and the former discharges the material into the drum. The up position of the lever 29 is equivalent to the up position of the opening 20 and the down position of the openings 21 and 22 (as shown in the drawing) whereupon the former receives the mixed material from the drumin readiness for the discharge thereof at the opposite end of the tube 19. I

. For the foregoing purposes, especially that of discharging the mixed material, the auger I8 is made sufficiently long that a portion thereof extends from the opening 20 to the discharge casting 30 at which the tube 19 terminates at-its'left end. The auger and tube perform the two purposes of first conducting the unmixed ingredients to the drum 1, then conducting the mixture from the drum to the point of discharge. The arrangement is such that the drum cannot be charged and discharged at thesame time.

The previously mentioned intake 23 is a casting into which the right extremity of the tube 19' extends, and to the right wall of which the auger 18 also extends. This right wa-l'lhas' a bearing 31 in which one end of the conveyor shaft 15 is journaled. The opening 21in the tube 19 may be brought around in position beneath the intake portion of the casting, an ingredient of one kind being received at this point. The left end of the casting terminates in a flange 321.0 which a corresponding flange of the bin 24 is secured in order to insure a good connection. The

; sifter bin 24 receives an ingredient of an- .otherikind. It'is divided by a perforated from-a 'sprocket 39 on a countershaft 40.

This "countershaft is driven by a chain 41 applied tofthe sprocket 16 on the conveyor aft 15 and asprocket 42 on the countershaft' The .countershaft carries a third sprocket 43 which drives a chain 44 and the large sprocket 45 on the drum 1, to which iprocket the chainis applied. Any suitable r amew orkmay be employed to support the fore Loing parts, the form' of framework herein disclosed com rising spaced'timbers 46,'an upper sill 47 and a plurality of connecting posts 48. The sills support the bearings 49 of the'countershaft 40, while the connecting posts serve to support the rest of the structure.

f The main bearing supports 4, 5 and 6, mentioned before, extend between the connecting posts as shown, it being noted that the intake and discharge castings 23 and 30 are suitably attached and supported to the members 5 and 6. Pieces 50 extending across appropriate ones of the connecting posts 48 provide supports for the sifter bin 24.

The operation may be readily understood. Power is applied to the conveyor shaft 15 in any desired manner, the obvious mode herein disclosed being the application of a driving belt to the fast pulley 17. The turning of the conveyor shaft imparts power to the countershaft 40 so that the mixing drum 1 and the brush holder 35 will revolve simultaneously. Desired relative speeds of the various parts concerned are arrived at by appropriately designing the driving sprocket.

A forward pull upon the lever 29 that it'assumes the down position will turn the conveyor tube 19 to such extent that the lateral opening 20 points downwardly in the drum 1 while the openings 21 and 22 point upwardly in the intake casting 28 and the sifter bin 24. Material introduced at these points is moved to the left by the auger l8 and discharged into the drum 1 at the opening 20.

As the drum revolves the ingredients to bc mixed will continue falling or sliding down the advancing or raising side of the drum, passing through the hopper formation 8 and the outer wall and end of the drum, causing them to be thrown together and mixed in the central passageway previously mentioned. During this revolution of the drum the pan 9 advances into the material, loads up and carries about one-third of the material up to a point where gravity will cause it to slide off. The sliding action will cause the material to be thrown across the drum to the opposite side into the second or third hopper following.

It is important to observe that the various hoppers 8 and pans or plates 9 are of substantial lengths, extending well over onehalf the radial distance of the drum. This arrangement has an important result in the operation of the apparatus for, instead of the pans or plates discharging the portions of material lifted thereby back into the batch at one side of the axial center as they would do were they relatively short, the plates are enabled to discharge said portions across the axial center of the drum into a remote hopper.

The trajectory of the discharged portions of material thus traverses the axial center of the drum, and it is by virtue of this circumstance that said portions are discharged into a remote hopper instead of into an adjacent hopper. The material overflowing the sides of a particular pan or plate does enter an adjacent hopper, but the bulk is propelled to a remote hopper as already emphasized.

The action of the so-called hoppers is to mix the ingredients by throwing them together, and the action of the dividing pans is to separate a part of the mixture from the balance and transfer it to one of the hoppers following. Such constant transferring of part of the material from the regular flow to another part of the machine makes a complete separation and transfer, and a perfect mix.

After the mixing operation has progressed a suitable length of time the operator moves the lever 29 in the up position whereupon the opening 20 in the tube 19 points upward, While the openings 21 and 22 point downward, closing the tube from communication with the casting 23 and 24. Material lifted by the elements within the drum will now be discharged into the opening 20 whereupon the auger 18 moves such material to the left and discharges it into the casting 30 whence it may be conducted to any desired point. The auger and the tube in which it works are thus made to perform a double duty.

It is possible, in practice, to operate the apparatus from a floor above and not necessarily from the floor upon which the apparatus is located. In the former instance the intake 23 and bin 2% must have sufliciently long extensions, and some suitable connection must be made for operating the lever 29 to carry out its purpose. The particular showing of four pans 9 and four sets of hoppers 8 must not be taken as a limitation because in the modification for manual use only two of each are shown, while in larger machines more will have to be used.

While the construction and arrangement of the improved mixing apparatus is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modi fications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, means to revolve the drum, means passing through the drum for conveyance of the material to be acted upon by the apparatus, means carried by the drum and revolving therewith for mixing the material, and means for adjusting the conveying means to either introduce ingredients to the drum in one instance and to conduct the mixture from the drum in another instance.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, means to revolve the drum, means within the drum to set up a mixing and agitating action, a conveyor tube passing through the drum and having a latera]. opening, a continuously revolublc auger situated in the tube, and means to turn the tube so that the opening may discharge ingredients into the drum, fed through the tube by the anger or receive mixed material from the drum for the discharge of the mixture through the tube by the auger.

3; Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, elements within the drum for producing a mixing action, means to continuously revolve the drum, a continuously revoluble auger, a tube within which the auger works having a lateral outlet in the drum, and means to turn the tube relatively to the auger bringing the opening either into alowered returning position or a raised receiving position to either introduce material into the drum by operation of the auger or to carry the mixture away.

4-. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, means to continuously revolve the drum, elements carried within the drum for producing a mixing action, a plurality of feed points at which various ingredients are discharged, a continuously revolving auger which is commonto the drum and to said feed points, a tube containing the auger having openings associated with the drum and with each of said feed points, and means to turn the tube in respect to the auger to either establish communication of said feed points with the drum or to close up said feed points and permit conductionof the mixture from said drum.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, means to continuously re volve the drum, elements within the drum revolving therewith to produce a mixing action,

a plurality of feed points for supplying ingredients to be mixed, a continuously revolving auger being common to the drum and said feed points, atube containing the auger hav ing openings located adjacent to said feec points and anopening situated in the drum said openings being diametrically opposite to each other, and means to turn the tube into either of two positions, the first placing said openings in communication with said feed points and directing the drum opening downwardly for the discharge therelnto of ingredients by said auger, the second placing said openings out of communication with said feed points and directing said drum opening upwardly to receive some of the mixture pro duced therein, said auger moving both the separate ingredients and the mixture in said. tube. a V

6, Apparatus of the character described comprising a. drum, elements carried by the drum for producing a mixing action, a plurality of feed points for supplying separate ingredients, a sifter bin situated at one of said points having a perforated partition, a brush movable across said partition, a conveyor tube extending through the drum and past said feed points, there being openings for the drum and said feed points, means to turn the tube to either produce registration or nonregistration of certain openings with said feed .polnts, means to revolve the auger forthe feeding of ingredientsfrom said points to the drum when the tube is in one position and for'the feeding of the mixture in said tube when the tube is in another position, and means for simultaneouslyrevolving the drum and said brush from the augerso that the mixing and sifting actions may be simultaneous with the feeding actions.

7. Apparatus of the character described comprising a mixing drum, a plurality of feed points atwhich the ingredients are supplied, a feeding device which is common to the drum and' to the feed points, and means to variously adjust said device to either supplythe ingredients to the drum or to convey the mixture from the drum.

8, Apparatus of the character described comprising a mixing drum, means to revolve the drum and perform a mixing action, an axial conveyor tube containing an auger for I feeding the ingredients to the interior of the 7 drum, bearings for the drum, and tubular hubs carried by the drum resting in said bear r I ings and admitting said conveyor tube.

I9. Apparatus of the character described comprising amixing drum, means to revolve the drum and erform' the mixing action, feed intake and mixture discharge castings situated exteriorly of the drum, an axial conveyor tube'located axially of the drum extending 1 into thevcastings at the respective ends and containing an anger extending from one casting' to the other for moving material, bearings pic for the drum, and tubular hubs carried by the drum resting in said bearings and fitted around said conveyortube.

10..Apparatus of the character described comprising a supporting framework, feed intake, and mixture discharge castings mounted said tube andlocated at said intake casting 11.. Apparatus 5 comprising a mixing drum, means extending and atthemixing drum in predetermined positions.

of the character described comprising a mixing drum, means extendi'ng into the drum for the conveyance of the material to be acted'upon, and means for adjustingthe conveying means to either introduce the ingredients to the drum in one instance and to. conduct the mixture from the drum in. another instance.

I 12 Apparatus of the character described into the drum for the conveyance of the material to be acted upon, means for adjusting the conveying means to either introduce the ingredients to the drum in one instance and to conduct the mixture from the drum in another instance, and means to shift the conveying means into respective positions for either of the foregoing purposes.

13. Apparatus of the character described comprising a mixing drum, a conveyor tube introduced into the drum and having an opening communicating with the inside of the drum, an auger working in the tube to handle material, and means to move the tube so that the opening will assume either of two positions, first that ingredients may be discharged from the tube into the drum, and second that the mixture may be discharged from the drum into the tube.

14. Apparatus of the character described comprising a mixing drum, a feed auger, means to revolve each independently, a tube incasing the auger and having an openin g at the inside of the drum. and means to turn the tube to point the opening either up or down.

15. Apparatus of the character described comprising a mixing drum, an anger for charging and discharging the drum, a tube in which the auger works having an opening through which the drum is either charged or discharged and which prevents the drum from being charged at the same time that it is discharging, and means to turn the tube so that the opening points either down or up, permitting the charging and discharging functions of the auger.

16. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum having ends with axial openings, means defining hoppers extending from the periphery substantially to the axial openings for scooping up portions of material and directing and concentrating them toward the peripheral center of the drum, and plates extending from the periphery substantially to the axial openings arranged in even alternation with the hoppers, each plate successively receiving the concentrated portions of material and lifting them for a discharge across the axial center of the drum into a remote hopper, parts of the material liftedby a particular plate overflowing the sides into an adjacent hopper.

17. Apparatus of the character described comprising a drum, and plane hoppers and plates arranged in alternation each being longer than one half of the radius of the drum and so circumferentially spaced that the trajectory of material discharged by a particular plate will traverse the axial center of the drum and terminate in a remote hopper. 

